Each year, dozens of college basketball players leave school early to pursue professional careers.
Usually, however, they’re trying to land in the NBA and not a tiny country in Eastern Europe.
When South Alabama’s Mychal Ammons, a former Vicksburg High star, decided to turn pro he also realized his best path to make a living in basketball was to take the road less traveled.
Ammons opted to forgo his senior season at South Alabama to pursue a pro career overseas, and recently signed a contract with Feni Indistrija of the Macedonian First League.
He believes it’ll not only be the first step to bigger and better things, but also a necessary one to help him grow as a player and a person.
“I like it for me, because it’s the top level of basketball there. In my situation, I’ll be going in having a chance to lead a team,” Ammons said. “Most guys make the mistake of just jumping to Greece, Spain or Israel. I’m in a situation to lead a team, play well and get my name established, and that’ll lead to bigger deals in the future.”
Ammons has succeeded everywhere he’s played, including Europe.
He was on the United States’ 14-and-under team that won the FIBA U-15 World Championship in Switzerland in 2006.
He went on to lead Vicksburg High to the 2011 Class 6A championship game, and then on to a solid career at South Alabama.

In three seasons at the Sun Belt Conference school in Mobile, Ammons averaged 10.0 points and 6.6 rebounds. He ranks eighth on the school’s career list in rebounds, and in the top 20 for points and blocks.
A steady stream of coaching changes and a rebuilding program led him to weigh his options, however. Sensing it would help both he and USA’s program, he elected to move on and try his hand at a pro career.
“I think it was all about timing. With the coaching changes, I’d been through three already. They’re going to have a good team in two or three years, but it wasn’t going to happen quick enough for me,” Ammons said. “Transferring was a risk, because the situation could be worse than South Alabama.”
Ammons informed South Alabama coach Matthew Graves of his decision late in the season so the coaching staff could plan its recruiting accordingly. Ammons said that helped ease any hard feelings that might otherwise have come.
Ammons said the school will continue to honor his scholarship as he works toward a degree in sports management. He has nine classes left and plans to do coursework online to finish up.
“We have put together a graduation plan for him moving forward. He’s on track to leave in good standing and we certainly look forward to helping him pursue his degree from South Alabama in the future,” Graves told Al.com in April, after Ammons announced his decision to leave the school. “I’m really excited for Mychal. He’s excited about this next step and we wish him nothing but the best.”
The next step for Ammons was figuring out where in the world — literally — he might end up.
He initially put his name into the NBA draft, then withdrew it because he felt he wasn’t quite ready. His agent then heard from representatives of Feni Indistrija, who had seen Ammons’ highlight video online.
A few rounds of negotiations and a bunch of research later, and Ammons was happy enough with the fit to sign on the dotted line. He declined to say how much the contract was worth, but chuckled and said, “It’s good money. It’s good.”
Ammons added that the money wasn’t the main reason he signed with Feni Indistrija, however.
“My first year, it’s more important to be in a good situation. Your first year is all about the situation. That’s where people get in trouble. They’re looking for the most money and not the best situation,” Ammons said.
Ammons will leave for Macedonia in early August, and the season begins in September. As he continues his offseason workouts, Ammons said he’s trying not to ignore the mental side of the game, the grind, and adapting to a foreign environment.
His approach, he said, will be a simple one.
“Be a good person and don’t be a head case,” he said. “I’ve done my research and been thinking about it for quite some time. I think I’m well-prepared for it.”
Although he’s starting his career in a faraway land, Ammons also said he’s not giving up on making it back home at some point.
The Macedonian First League is among the more respected European leagues, but still a step behind those in Israel, Turkey, Greece and Spain. Succeeding in Macedonia could allow him to move to a different country and, like a wandering basketball minstrel, play his way back home.
Even if he ends up spending most of his career overseas, Ammons said he can still have a successful and lucrative career in the various European leagues.
“The NBA is not the be-all, end-all. It’d be nice, but it’s all about the situation you’re in,” he said. “My next step from here is big. That’s why I’m looking at the situation the team has and not the money I could get.”
And in the meantime, the 22-year-old will try to soak up some European culture, become a little more worldly, and both improve his game and expand his horizons.
“I think it’s going to be fun. I’ve always wanted to go over there, learn a different language, and grow as a person and a man, and learn to be a pro,” Ammons said. “I think it’ll help me when I do come back and try to play in the NBA. I won’t just be a rookie. It’ll make for an easier adjustment.”